Bowen Yang is living his busiest, most fabulous life yet. Between gearing up for the Wicked: For Good press tour and keeping pop culture alive and well on his hit podcast Las Culturistas (co-hosted with Matt Rogers), fans started to wonder — is he too booked to stay on Saturday Night Live?
The answer, thankfully, is a firm and fabulous NO. In a recent interview with People, Yang revealed that he’ll be returning for SNL’s 51st season — and it’s all thanks to some sage encouragement from SNL creator Lorne Michaels. “He told me I had ‘more to do,’” Yang shared, adding that the comment “meant a lot.” That reassurance sealed the deal for his return to Studio 8H.
Yang Isn’t Leaving—He’s Just Getting Started
The Emmy-nominated actor’s SNL journey has been filled with pure comedy gold. Since joining the show as a writer in 2018 and later becoming an on-air cast member in 2019, he’s blessed audiences with unforgettable sketches — from his camp masterpiece The Iceberg on the Sinking of the Titanic to his chaotic Dobby bit to his heartwarming We’re Trying with Adam Driver.
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But even comedy icons have their insecurities. Yang admitted he once confessed to Michaels,
“I feel like the audience is maybe getting sick of me.” Michaels quickly reassured him: “That’s not true. There’s more for you to do. I need you.”
It’s the kind of mentorship moment that reminds us why SNL continues to shape generations of talent — and why Bowen still calls it home.
Yang’s New Mindset: Go with the Flow, Glow with the Show
So what’s next for him on SNL? Yang says he’s ditched rigid “game plans” this time around. “Sometimes you’re up for the challenge. Sometimes you show up even if you aren’t — and that’s kind of what makes interesting things happen,” he said. It’s a relaxed, self-assured vibe that suits him — because between live sketch comedy, celebrity parodies, and balancing a thriving Hollywood career, Bowen Yang has officially entered his effortless era.
Bowen Yang as Moo Deng channeling Chappell Roan on SNL. pic.twitter.com/EW7plCnbeY
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 29, 2024
Yang Heads from Studio 8H to Oz
Before he heads back to Rockefeller Center, Yang will reprise his role as the delightfully over-the-top Pfannee in Wicked: For Good, joining a glittering cast that includes Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Colman Domingo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Dinklage.
Source: @wickedmovie
The movie hits theaters November 21, and it’s already one of the year’s most anticipated releases. So no — Bowen Yang isn’t leaving SNL. He’s just doing what he does best: staying iconic, staying funny, and staying booked and busy.
Because if there’s one thing clear about Bowen Yang, it’s this — he’s nowhere near done making magic.
Reference: PEOPLE